9/26/2013 |
Wright exits game after taking pitch to headMets third baseman David Wright left Thursday's game in the third inning after being hit in the helmet with a pitch by the Brewers' Johnny Hellweg. Wright stayed on the ground for several moments before walking off the field.

9/26/2013 |
Washington won't waver from Perez in tiebreakerIf the Rangers would need to play a tiebreaker game on Monday to decide one of the American League Wild Card spots, manager Ron Washington doesn't plan to move Martin Perez out of that start.

9/26/2013 |
McCann stands by his reaction to GomezWhen Brian McCann returned to Turner Field on Thursday afternoon, he remained confident that he reacted appropriately to Carlos Gomez's animated home run trot that led to a benches-clearing confrontation with the Brewers on Wednesday night.

9/26/2013 |
Beachy has surgery, expects to be set for start of '14Brandon Beachy's hopes of pitching again this season essentially ended three weeks ago when he continued to feel right elbow discomfort. But after undergoing a surgical procedure on Thursday, Beachy was given reason to believe he will be ready for the start of next season.

9/26/2013 |
Lincecum, Pagan help Giants beat LA to take seriesTim Lincecum received a no-decision Thursday night, which was entirely fitting in light of his uncertain future. He also gave the Giants a chance to win with his efficient seven-inning performance, which set up Angel Pagan's tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning that was the deciding run in a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

9/26/2013 |
Dodgers' early lead doesn't hold up against GiantsWith the four starting infielders back in the lineup Thursday night, the Dodgers scored half as many runs as they did the night before without them, so go figure. A 3-2 loss to the Giants means the Dodgers most likely will open the playoffs on the road regardless of the opponent.

9/26/2013 |
Ramirez hopeful injury won't end his '13As expected, third baseman Aramis Ramirez was absent from the Brewers' starting lineup Thursday after re-injuring his balky left knee during Wednesday's scrum with the Braves. But Ramirez expressed more hope about playing in at least one more game this season.

9/26/2013 |
Dickerson, Casilla likely done for seasonChris Dickerson and Alexi Casilla are both likely done for the rest of the season, with Dickerson dealing with a right hamstring injury and Casilla injured in a collision on Monday against the Rays.

9/26/2013 |
TBS to feature robust postseason coverageCal Ripken Jr. and Ron Darling will join play-by-play man Ernie Johnson as the lead broadcast crew when TBS begins its postseason telecasts next week, and Thursday was the annual conference call in which the analysts address a wide array of Major League Baseball topics while the network introduces its latest bells and whistles.

9/26/2013 |
Towers backs Gibson for potential fourth seasonD-backs general manager Kevin Towers said his recommendation to ownership will be that manager Kirk Gibson return as manager in 2014, and all indications are that Gibson will be back for his fourth full season.

9/26/2013 |
Bourn rests sprained wrist for second straight gameIndians center fielder Michael Bourn sat in front of his locker inside the visitors' clubhouse at Target Field on Thursday afternoon, his right wrist wrapped and his name absent from Cleveland's starting lineup.

9/26/2013 |
Howard visits Phillies, talks motivation for 2014Ryan Howard can say he never reads the newspapers, checks the Internet, listens to the radio or watches television, but he still hears the criticism. He hears his best days are in the past, and the remaining three years and $85 million on his five-year, $125 million contract extension contract will weigh heavily on the Phillies' fortunes in the future.

9/26/2013 |
Decisions on coaching staff to come after seasonBlue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has yet to make any final determinations on the status of his coaching staff for the 2014 season. Anthopoulos expects to sit down with manager John Gibbons when the season comes to an end to make their final evaluations and then decide which coaches will be back next year.

9/26/2013 |
Mo could play outfield in Houston, says GirardiYankees manager Joe Girardi said on Thursday that he is "absolutely" considering having Mariano Rivera make an appearance in the outfield this weekend against the Astros in Houston, though he has not decided yet when or under what circumstances.

9/26/2013 |
Royals notch highest win total since '93When they defeated the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, on Thursday night, the Royals marked their 84th victory -- their highest win total in 20 years, since posting an 84-78 record in 1993.

9/26/2013 |
Sarah's Take: Dodgers face tough choices with injuriesBy clinching early, the Dodgers have an opportunity to rest their regulars and align their starting rotation, but they have to keep their competitive edge heading into the playoffs. Again, they are dealing with injuries to two important players, and the Dodgers will need them in the playoffs to have much chance of advancing to the World Series.

9/26/2013 |
Gonzalez dominant in victory over Blue JaysOrioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez turned in a fabulous finale, allowing one unearned run on two hits over seven innings and paving the way for a 3-2, series-clinching win over the Blue Jays on Thursday night.

9/26/2013 |
Padres impressed with Gyorko's breakout seasonWith 21 homers on the year, Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko is tops in the Majors in home runs by rookies, and he has done it while manning a position not usually known for its players' slugging.

9/26/2013 |
Amarista's walk-off knock decides finale at PetcoAlexi Amarista smacked a single into center field to drive in the game-winning run and give the Padres their ninth walk-off of their year in a 3-2 victory over the D-backs on Thursday.

9/26/2013 |
Kershaw named Roy Campanella Award recipientClayton Kershaw was named the winner of the eighth annual Roy Campanella Award, given to the Dodger who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame Brooklyn catcher.

9/26/2013 |
Helton's hits in final home game mirrored career arcTodd Helton's two hits -- a homer to right and an opposite-field double -- in the Rockies' final home game, a 15-5 loss to the Red Sox on Wednesday night, covered the arc of the veteran's swing -- from 1996, when he first showed up at Major League camp, to the final year of his 17-season career.

9/26/2013 |
Baseball owes a lot to Selig's contributionsThere is one real way to measure leadership. Are things better now than they were when the leader took over? In the case of Commissioner Bud Selig, the answer is a resounding yes, on all fronts.